The Church and former Collegiate Church and the Shrine of St Hadelin

According to tradition, the first church was built in 779 through the kindness of Princess Berthe, Emperor Charlemagne's daughter. Shortly afterwards, it was laid waste during a Norman raid in 881.

It became a collegiate church following the arrival of canons from Celles in 1338, and became an integral part of the town's defence system. It lay in the outer wall and its large square tower was fortified. It did not survive the town's sacking by Charles the Bold's Burgundians in 1467.

The church was rebuilt in several stages but was destroyed again on 10 August 1914, burnt down by the Germans. Only the choir, dating from 1524, was preserved and the stained-glass windows of the apse were miraculously spared.

It was rebuilt to a design of the architect Jamar in 1924 and the chapel housing the venerable relics of St Hadelin - not to be confused with the patron saint of the parish, St Martin - dates from this period.

St Hadelin's Shrine

Hadelin was born in the early 7th century in Aquitaine and was a disciple of the founder of Stavelot Abbey, St Remacle. His pilgrimages led him to found an oratory himself at Celles on the banks of the Lesse. He died there in 690 and a chapter of a dozen canons was consecrated in that town to venerate his memory.

In 1046, the Bishop of Liège Wazon had the saint's remains put in a shrine decorated with silver reliefs. The long sides were completed around 1170 making this treasure of Mosan art which we can still admire today in Visé church.

Originally kept at Celles, the shrine was transferred to Visé in 1338 when the canons had to take refuge there. In 1414, St Hadelin's skull was removed and placed in a special reliquary, restored in 1654 by the Liège goldsmith Jean Goeslin. Since 1788, every 25 years, the people of Visé have celebrated the arrival of the shrine in their town with great events. The last took place in 1988 and the next will be held in 2013.

Each year the shrine is brought out on the third Sunday of September.

Info: Guided tour on request to the clergy. 
Contact Mr Martin Purnode on 04/379.27.69